Hollywood is suffering an economic slowdown with writing and production jobs far and few between

Hollywood is suffering an economic slowdown with writing and production jobs far and few between

It’s been a year since writers and actors picked up their pickets and marched outside major Hollywood studios requesting better streaming residuals and restrictions on AI. IATSE, the group that represents costume designers, make-up artists, cinematographers, set designers, camera operators, and other craftspeople, just struck a tentative deal with AMPTP Tuesday. But despite these gains, writers, actors, and production workers are struggling to find jobs. The streaming boom has become bust, fewer projects are being greenlit, and studios are still recovering from losses suffered from the pandemic.

Today on AirTalk we check-in with Hollywood’s economy and talk to The Ankler writer Elaine Low, about how workers are faring in this new phase for film and TV production. We also want to hear from you! If you work in the film and television industry, tell us how you are finding work. What challenges have you faced trying to get a job? Give us a call at 866-893-5722. Or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

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NRDC report: major retailers are neglecting to stock shelves with sustainable goods

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report this week looking at the shelf-stocking habits of major U.S. retailers like Walmart, Costco, Kroger and Home Depot. The focus is on things like toilet paper and paper towels that are sourced from climate-critical forests. The report claims that these retailers aren’t stocking shelves with more sustainable options that are available. Joining to discuss the report is Ashley Jordan, author of the report and corporate campaign advocate for the NRDC’s Global Northern Forests Program.

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Late night comedy writer Amber Ruffin on her musical about Bigfoot’s origins

What if Bigfoot…had an origin story? Sure, we’ve heard about the legend of the towering, hairy, human-like sasquatch, but how did it all begin? Comedian and writer Amber Ruffin brings the monster behind the myth to life in her musical Bigfoot!, which is currently running at The Broadwater in Hollywood. There are three shows left — one Friday, June 21, and then two more Thursday June 27th and Saturday June 29th…so there’s still time to catch the play while it’s in town. In addition to being a playwright, comedian and TV writer, Amber is also a New York Times Bestselling author for the book You’ll Never Believe What Happened To Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism which she co-wrote with her sister, Lacey Lamar. She has also been nominated for multiple Emmys for both her work as a writer on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” as well as on “The Amber Ruffin Show” which streams on Peacock. The multi-talented Amber Ruffin joins Julia Paskin today on AirTalk to chat about her musical and her career in comedy that led her to write it.

For more information, including how to purchase tickets, click here.

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Recapping Governor Newsom’s State of the State, and getting into what was missed

Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed Californians with his latest State of the State address; the pre-recorded address saw Newsom focus on many of his accomplishments, such as protecting reproductive rights and discussing the CARE court system, while also criticizing far-right Republicans. Helping us to get into the major points to come out of the address, and what was excluded, is Nicole Nixon, a reporter covering California politics for The Sacramento Bee.

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NBC to expand social media presence this Olympic Games, will it translate to viewers and interest?

In a new turn for American coverage of the Olympics, NBC has decided to allow more social media coverage of the games by bringing influencers into the fold alongside its usual press coverage. Before this, most broadcasters held some reservations about opening up their social media coverage, fearing that it would negatively impact their viewership; with younger generations more interested in streaming, this move looks to help reach those who likely wouldn’t be as engaged with the weeks-long event. But will having influencers like gymnast Livvy Dunne and streamer Kai Cenat help grow viewership on services like Peacock? Today on AirTalk, we’ll touch on this jump NBC is making with Washington Post Olympics reporter Les Carpenter, and get into how its success will be evaluated with Karen North, professor of Digital Social Media at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

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Flipping through the pages of New York Times’ journalist Nicolas Kristoff’s career

Covering human rights’ atrocities and writing about active war zones can weigh heavy on someone’s outlook in life. But for Nicolas Kristof, longtime journalist for The New York Times, even the darkest of stories have glimpses of light in them. In his new memoir “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life”, Kristoff takes readers with him from crash-landing in the Congolese jungle to reporting on Cambodia’s sex-trade in brothels to growing up in his hometown of Yamhill, Oregon, where he first got a taste of how journalism could enact change. Despite the harrowing scenes Kristoff has witnessed throughout his years as a foreign correspondent, he remains optimistic. For every brutality he saw, there was always someone nearby ready to help.

Today on AirTalk, Larry talks to the two-time Pulitzer winner Kristoff about his new memoir and his long, storied career as a journalist.

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